Multicylinder explosive-engine



Ls. KRAMER. MULTICYLINDER'EXPLOSIVE ENGINE. APflICATlQH FILED MIG-27, 1917.

Patented Apr. 5 1921.

E. B. KRAMER. MULTICYUNDER EXPLOSWE ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG.27, 1911.

1,373,510. Patented Ap1'.5,1921.

E. B. KRAMER.

MULTHIYLINDER EXPLOSWE ENGINE. APPLICATION man AUG-23', 1912.

wam 0. mm Apr. 5, 1921.

a SHEEN-SHEET a.

imrrso STATES.

ERIC B. KRAMER, 0F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK,

MULTIGYLlEN'DEB EXPLOSIVE-ENGINE.

invasio Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 5, 1921.

Application filed August 27, 1917. Serial No. 188,378.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known that I Enio B. KRAMER, a citizen of the United tates, and a resident of New York, borough of Brookl n, in the county of Kings and State of l ew York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in' Multicylinder Explosive-Ention.

This explosive engines, and has for its object to provide an engine of the class specified hav ing features of arrangement of parts and character of operation conducive to high efficiency combined with simplicity of construction and economy of operation.

With these ends in view, my improvements include elements and combinations of elements which are illustrated in their preferred. embodiment in the drawings accompanying this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation on line 21-"21 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a cross sectional elevation on line 2222 of 'ines, of which the following is a specifica- Fig. 1, it being understood that the section is staggered soas to pass through the middle of the cylinders as indicated bv line 22Fof Fig. 3. Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic plan View of the cylinders showing their staggered arrangement transversely of the engine, and showing the peculiar firing sequence. Fig. l is a cross-sectional. elevation on line 24-% of F ig. 1. Fig. 5 is a chart illustrating the operation of the engine.

A further object of my improvements is to provide an explosive engine in which the cylinders are numerous in quantity and individually small in diameter, as, with a clirect decrease in diameter the volume decreases as the cube and the surfaces of the inclosing walls only as the square, therefore the smaller the diameter of cylinder the greater the proportion of radiating surface to the cubic contents of cylinder. By this means extensive surfaces for the dissemination of heat engendered by the explosions are provided.

Another object in view is to provide such an arrangement of cylinders as to permit of a minimum number of cra nks on the crank shaft. To this end said cylinders are grouped preferably in transverse sets of three each, said cylinders radiating fromthe crank-shaft and being spaced forty degrees 7 apart.- Also the individual cylinders of each of said sets of three are staggered so that invention relates multi-cylinder the connecting rods from the pistons therein pin side by side.

engage their common crank Said sets of three cylinders are arranged symmetrically lengthwise the crank shaft, thus forming three rows of cylinders lengthwise the engine. The six cranks of shaft 26 are all of the same throw and the crank pins are located circumferentially relatively to each other as follows: Those two crank pins 27 and 32 nearest the opposite ends respectively of said shaft are in line; that is, they lie in the. same radial plane; those two crank pins nearest the mid dle portion of said shaft are at 240 degrees from said end crank pins, in the direction of rotation of said shaft; and those two crank pins intermediate said end and middle crank pins respectively, are at 120 degrees from both the end and middle. crank pins.

While I have chosen to illustrate my improved engine as having eighteen cylinders,

arranged in three rows of six each lengthwlse the crank shaft, and which number of cylinders and arrangement afford definite and marked advantages over any other numher and arrangement of which I know, I do not limit myself thereto, as many of the inherent advantages thereof pertain to engines having more or less cylinders than eighteen so long as those cylinders are increased or decreased in increments of six. Said increments of six should be added to or taken from the engine in transverse rows of three, one row at each end of said engine; Thus, if it was desired to reduce the illustrated number of eighteernby. one increment of six, cylinders l, 2 and 3, and 16, 17 and 18 would be removed.

Referring now particularly to Figs. 1 and 2, base 19 is preferably castintegral, whereby the seats for bearings 20, 23 and 25 of crank shaft 26, and the seats for the several. cylinders as 2 and 5, Fig. l, are permanently positioned relatively to each other by the initial machining of said base. Said cylinders are numbered in cross sets of three each, the first set including cylinders l, 2 and 3, the second set including cylinders 4, 5 and 6, and so forth. The cylinders of each of said sets radiate from the axis of crank shaft 26, the center 0 linder 5 of the second set, rising vertically tierefrom and cylinders l and standing at 40 degrees-to'the left and right respectively of said cylinder 5. T he pistons of any-given set of three cylinders are con pins serve eighteen cylinders. Also the inividual members of each transverse set are staggered relatively to each other lengthwise the shaft, the center cylinder of any given set, as cylinder 5 of the second set, being located lengthwise the engine correspending with the mid-portion ofsecond crank pin 28, whereby straight connecting rod 35 is located centrally of said cylinder 5 and its piston 38 is connected with the lengthwise mid-portion of crank pin 28 by saidconnecting rod. Left hand cylinder 4, Figs. 2 and 3, stands forwardly of center cylinder 5 a distance equal to one third the length of crank pin 28, so that'its straight connecting rod 34 connects with crank pin 28 between connecting rod 35 and crank shaft disk 33. Right hand cylinder 6 stands rearwardly of center cylinder 5 a similar distance, so that its connecting rod 36 con nects with crank pin 28 between connecting rod 35 and succeeding crank shaft disk 40. By this arrangement all connecting rods are straight and the thrust thereof is directly toward the crank-pin, also all the connecting rods in the engine are alike and interchangeable. To compensate for the relatively narrow bearings of said connectingrods on their respective crank pins, said crank pins are made of generous diameter, thus affording ample area thereon for thrust purposes. Said cylinders are further arranged in three lengthwise rows, comprising, in an eighteen cylinder engine, six cylinders in each row, see Fig. 3.

In the interest of simplicity and efficiency I 'preferably employ rotary valves, providing one such valve for each lengthwise row of cylinders, and providing each valve with ports corresponding in number, order of operation, and lengthwise position with the cylinders of its row. For containing and supporting said valves, three valve cases, each preferably cast integral, are provided.

Referring particularly to valve 41 and valve case 42, the description of which will serve equally well for the other valves and valve cases, said valve case 42 has a cylindrical passage lengthwise therethrough, in which is tightly fitted sleeve 43 to serve as a housing for valve 41. Said valve 41 is preferably provided with. ball bearings 51, 52 near its opposite ends respectively, and with a port for each cylinder,.as port 50 for cylinder 5. Suitable gearing, which will be described in detail later herein, is provided to rotate said valve 41 and the othervalves of the engine in suitable. timing.

Directly over each cylinder of the middle lengthwise row, and communicating therewith, valve case 42 is provided with an hemi- Zphefirical explosion chamber, as 49 to cylincr i On either side of said valve case 42, co extensive and preferably cast integral theregear valve 41.

asvasio with, is a. tubular member; that on the left, 44," serving as an intake manifold and that on the right, 15, serving as an exhaust manifold. The usual passages as 4.6, 47, 48 through sleeve 43 and valve case 42, provide communication at one time from the intake manifold -14 through port 50 of valve 41 to explosion chamber a9, and at another time from said chamber through said valve port to exhaust manifold 45. The intake manifolds may be connected as usual with carburetors not shown and through which the fuel is fed in the usual manner.

The cylinders are all alike and are independent of and separated from each other. They are of simple tubular confoiination and a description of one will sufiice for all.

Cylinder 5 is provided with lower flange 53 bywhicn it is separably attached to base 19 by suitable means, as bolts not shown; at its upper end said cylinder has flange 54 by which half the speed of that shaft. Power may be transmitted from said crankshaft to said valves by any suitable means but I have chosen to employ, in the illustrated embodiment, an arrangement of bevel gears and connecting shafts. Fixed to the forward end of crank shaft 26, Fig. 1, is bevel. gear 58 meshing with bevel gear 59, of twice its size, fixed to the lower end of vertical shaft 60. Near the upper end of vertical shaft 60 is fixed miter gear 61 meshing with miter 62 fixed on the forward end of Fixed to said vertical shaft 60 below gear 61 is miter gear 63 meshing at the left hand, Fig. 4, with miter gear 64 fixed to one end of horizontal shafts 65. On the other and outer end of shaft 65 is fixed miter gear 66 meshing with miter gear 67 fixed to the forward end of valve 56. Also said miter gear 63 meshes at the right hand. with miter gear 68 fixed to the inner end of horizontal shaft 69. On the outer end of said shaft 69 is fixed-miter gear 70 meshing Also gear case 73, which is fixed tovalve case 4-2. is preferably securely connegted to gear cases 74: and Y5 which are similarly fixed to valve cases 76 and 7'7 respectively. Said connecting means preferably comprises tubular members 78 and 7 9 respectively, and serves to tie said valve cases together:

In connection with the described arrangement of cranks and crank pins the ports the three rotary valves are so arranged and. the valves so timed as to produce the hiring sequence set forth in charts of Figs. 3 and 5. This sequence is such that the explosions in any given two cylinders whose pistons are connected with one crank pin have the explosion in a cylinder whose piston vis con-- nected with another crank pin interposed therebetween. For instance the explosions in cylinders 1 and 3, whose pistons are connected to crank pin 27, have an explosion in cylinder 17, whose piston is connected to ,crank pin 32, interposed therebetween. By

this arrangement no individual crank pin is subjected to three closely successive explos sion impulses but has any two impulses separated by at least one impulse upon sarne other crank pin. This chosen arran e ment of sequence of explosions is graphivcally portrayed by the full lines in the chart of Fig. 3, wherein the lines of sequence connecting each trio of explosions intersect at the two foci and 81 synnnetrically disposed transversely of the cylinders and midway lengthwise thereof.

The dotted lines of Fi 3 indicate the sequence of action of thejsuccessive explo-v sive trios of cylinders; for instance, the dotted line between cylinders 3 and 7 connects explosive trio 1, 17 and 3 with the next explosive trio 7, 11 and 9.

I claim:

1. In a mnlti cylinder explosive engine the combination of a base, a crank shaft jour naled in said base, a plurality of cylinders in three lengthwise rows on said base, said cylinders being arranged in sets of three transversely of said crank shaft and radiating therefrom, the pistons of each transverse set of cylinders being connected with one crank pin on said shaft, and valves for admitting an explosive mixture to said cylinders respectively, said valves being so timed that the explosion in any given two cylinders whose pistons are connected with one crank p111 have the explosion in a cylinder whose piston is connected with an other crank pin interposed therebetween.

2. In a mnlti-cyllnder explosive engine the "combination of an integral base, a crank shaft journaled in said base, a plurality of cylinders in three lengthwise rows on said base, said cylinders being arranged in sets of three transversely of said crank shaft and radiating therefrom, ,the members of each set of three cylinders being staggered relatively to ,each other, said crank shaft having one crank pin corresponding with each set of three pistons, a connecting rod from each piston to said crank shaft, each set of three connecting rods engaging one crank pin side by side thereon, and an integral valve case for each lengthwise row of cylinders, each of said cylinders being independent of and separated from every other cylinder, and each of said cylinders being; separably connected at one endv thereof with said base and at the other end thereof with one of said valve cases.

3. In an eighteen cylinder explosive engine the combination of a base, a crank shaft journaled in said base, six crank pins on said shaft, those two crank pins nearest the opposite ends respectivelyof said shaft being in the same radial plane, those two crank pins nearest the middle portion of said shaft being at -two hundred and forty degrees from said end crank pins in the direction of rotation of said shaft, and those two crank pins intermediate said end and middle crank pins respectively being at one hundred and twenty degrees from both the end and middle crank pins, the cylinders 1 being arranged in three lengthwise rows of six each, a reciprocatable piston in each cylinder, a connecting rodffrorn each piston to said crank shaft, each transverse set of three connecting rods engaging one crank pin, one valve member for each row of six cylinders and a valve port corresponding with each cylinder, said ports being" so arranged and said valves. so timed that the explosions in any given two cylinders whose pistons are connected with one crank pin have the explosion in a cylinder whose piston is connected with. another crank pin in tel-posed therebetween.

4-. In a multi-cylinder explosive engine the combination of a base, a crank shaft journaled in said base, and six crank pins on said shaft, those two crank pins nearest the opposite ends respectively of said shaft being in the same radial plane, those two crank pins nearest the middle portion of said shaft beingat two hundred and forty degrees from-said end crank pins in the di rection of rotation of said. shaft, and those two crank pins intermediate said end and middle crank pins respectively being at one hundred and twenty degrees from both the end and middle crank pins.

5. In an eighteen cylinder explosive en gins the combination of a base, a crank shaft journaled in said base, sir: crank pins on said shaft, the cylinders being arranged in three lengthwise rows of six each, are ciprocatable piston in. each cylinder, aj connecting rod from each piston to said crank shaft, each transverse set of three connecting rods engaging one crank pin, one valve member for each row of six cylinders and a valve port corresponding with each cylinder, said ports being so arranged and said, valves so timed that the explosions-litany .g, emme given two cylinders whose pistons are conof New York, this 24cth day ofAu'gust, 1917, nected with one crank pin have the eXp10- before two subscribing Witnesses. .e sion in a cylinder whose piston is connected 9 with another crank pin interposeti there- ,ERIC B. KRAMER. 5 between. v Witnesses: l

Signed at New York borough of Manhat- WILBUR M. S'rome, tan, in the county ,of iiew York and State WILLIAM A. KANE.- 

